In brief: Cannabis and caries link, Septodont’s investment in Balanced Pharma, and Patrick Mahomes’ partnership with Invisalign

Link between cannabis use and caries

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association links the frequent use of recreational cannabis use (FRC) with caries and severe tooth loss. Data was collected from 5,656 people between the ages of 18 and 59 who self-identified as frequent cannabis users (i.e., reported the use of marijuana or hashish at least once a month over the span of 12 months).¹

Compared to nonfrequent users, FRC users had a 17% higher probability of developing untreated coronal caries, 55% higher odds of having root surface caries, and 41% higher odds of severe tooth loss.¹

You can read more about the results of this study in the Journal of the American Dental Association.

Septodont invests in Balanced Pharma

As part of an institutional funding round, Septodont has recently invested in Balanced Pharma Inc. (BPI) to help develop new, best-in-class drugs for multi-day pain relief following orthopedic and oral surgery as well as faster, less painful, and more reliable local anesthesia. Balanced Pharma is committed to increasing patient comfort and safety during and after common dental procedures and is excited to work with this global leader in dental anesthetics.²

Atif Zia, Septodont's COO, has also joined the BPI Board of Directors. On this collaboration, former dentist and Balanced Pharma CEO Dr. Scott Keadle, said: "We are very proud to add Septodont to the growing list of dental industry members who are investing in the development of these important products, and to have Atif as part of our leadership team."²

Patrick Mahomes becomes Invisalign ambassador

Patrick Mahomes, NFL quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, has recently signed a multi-year agreement to be an Invisalign Smile Squad ambassador. This collaboration comes after Invisalign's announcement that they will be presenting NFL Honors at the upcoming Super Bowl LIX, which will recognize standout performances in the 2024 football season.³

Mahomes will be sharing his Invisalign treatment experience with fans. He said: "As an athlete, I'm always focused on optimizing my performance and health, so when it came time for me to choose how to improve my smile, it was clear that Invisalign aligners were the right choice for me over traditional braces. I'm excited to officially join Team Invisalign."³

The Smile Squad, which launched in 2017, collaborates with celebrities and influencers to promote and share their individual Invisalign treatment journeys across various social media channels like TikTok and Instagram. Read more about this upcoming campaign from Align Technology.

References

1. Clonan E, Shah P, Cloidt M, Laniado N. Frequent recreational cannabis use and its association with caries and severe tooth loss: Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2015-2018. J Am Dent Assoc. 2025 Jan;156(1):9-16.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2024

2. Septodont invests in Balanced Pharma, joins board. Dentistry Today. January 20, 2025. https://www.dentistrytoday.com/septodont-invests-in-balanced-pharma-joins-board/

3. Align Technology announces NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes joins the Invisalign brand Smile Squad. Align Technology. January 16, 2025. https://investor.aligntech.com/news-releases/news-release-details/align-technology-announces-nfl-quarterback-patrick-mahomes-joins